South Florida Forecast
April 23, 2025
By Capt. Alan Sherman
Capt. Alan Sherman covers Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable, including Pompano Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Homestead. Contact info: shermana@bellsouth.net ; (786)436-2064; www.getemsportfishing.com
April 25 - 27 Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots late Friday through Saturday. On Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the northeast at 5 to 10 knots. There will be a new moon Sunday night.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
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Tarpon are still available to catch in the ocean inlets and along the beach. Schools of mullet have been migrating north and when they come into the inlets or swim along the outside of the swim buoys the action can be fantastic. Besides the tarpon feeding on the mullet, big jack crevalles, barracudas, snook, and sharks are feeding on the mullets. The offshore bite has been much better. Sailfish continue to be the fish targeted the most but big blackfin tuna are in our area and biting to. Kingfish, bonitos, hammerhead sharks, barracudas, dolphin fish, and wahoo are also biting in the same depths as the sailfish and blackfins. The best depths to target these fish has been between 100 to 240 feet of water. Live goggle eye jacks, threadfin herrings, pilchards, cigar minnows and Spanish sardines have been the best live baits to use for these fish. Drifting fresh ballyhoos and Spanish sardines through these depths is also getting some of the fish. The new moon on Sunday might spark a good wahoo bite along the outside reef during the mornings. Over the deeper wrecks and rock piles smaller blackfin tunas are being chummed to the surface and caught on live baitfish and vertical jigs. Sharks have been really bad in these areas. Dolphin fish have been caught in decent numbers along weed lines in depths from 600 to over 1000 feet of water. Large mutton snappers are showing up in their spawning spots. These fish are not easy to find in our area. If you have an idea of where they might be congregating, then you have to have the patience to wait for them to feed. The nighttime reef fishing has been fair mostly because the windy weather made fishing the reefs difficult. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:44.
North Biscayne
Sea trout are spawning over the grass flats in North Bay. The best way to locate these fish is by drifting the flats as you scatter cast the NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3” paddle tail soft plastic. Once you locate the first fish, chances are great you will continue to catch the trout till they move on or shut off. Each angler is allowed 3 trout between 15” and 19”s with only one fish allowed on the boat over 19”s. Mixed in with the trout have been mangrove snappers, barracudas, ladyfish, tarpons, jack crevalles, and bonnethead sharks. Mullet schools continue to move through the bay. Big jack crevalles are feeding on the mullets as well as tarpons and large sharks. The night tarpon and snook bite has been good around the bay bridges and under the lighted dock lights. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:10.
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South Bay
Lots of small barracudas are feeding along the edges of the channels in South Bay. Big jack crevalles are feeding on mullet schools. The mainland shorelines have seen some good snook fishing when the mullet schools move north along the shorelines. Bonefishing has been good in the area of the Arsenicker Keys, Cutter Bank, and Totten Key. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:27 in the morning.
Flamingo
A falling tide will have snook, tarpon, redfish, and sea trout feeding near the edges of the Florida Bay flats. Big tarpons and sharks are being caught in and around Sandy Key Basin. As the tide starts to rise the shorelines from Curry Key north to East Cape will provide steady action from snook, redfish, and sea trout. A live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float cast close to the down trees won’t last long. The rivers and creeks along the coast have been holding small schools of tarpons. The inside waters of Ouster and Whitewater Bays are providing action from small snook, redfish, sea trout. Look for these fish along shorelines and points that have small baitfish nearby. Keep an eye out for big splashes or rolling tarpons in open water. This will be big tarpons. The tarpons will eat a live pinfish or mullet or artificials resembling the baitfish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:02 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:34 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS April 17 Report Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Big jack crevalles, tarpons and sharks are feeding on the mullet schools when they move through the inlet. A few kingfish to 20 pounds, large sailfish, bonitos and large blackfin tunas are being caught in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. The best vacation is taking place along current and weedlines in these depths of water. Dolphin fish show up one day and disappear the next. When they show up they have been on weedlines outside of 600 feet of water. Large mutton snappers and cobias are being caught over many of the artificial reefs in depths between 120 to 240 feet of water. Live ballyhoos and pinfish have been getting the strikes. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:30.
North Biscayne Bay
Schools of mullets continue to migrate through the bay. When the mullets are in the open bays, big jack crevalles, barracudas and sharks are feeding on them. When the mullets are over the flats, big spawning sea trout are feeding under them. The nighttime tarpon bite continues to be good especially when the shrimp are running. Drift a large live shrimp under a bay bridge and the chances a hooking a tarpon, snook, ladyfish, jack or sea trout are great. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:49.
South Bay
Schools of mullets have been moving through South Bay all week. Some big tarpons and large jack crevalles are feeding on them. Lots of small barracudas are hanging out under the remaining Stiltsville houses. Bonefish have been feeding over the Oceanside flats, the mainland flats and over the flats near Totten Key and Cutter Bank. The best action has been on the incoming tides. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:19 in the morning.
Flamingo
On the warmer and calmer days fishing up on the flats in Florida Bay has provided light tackle anglers with steady action from snook, redfish and sea trout. The fish can be seen pushing wakes or just sitting in or near a pothole as they wait for prey to swim by. Soft plastic weedless baitfish imitations like the NLBN 4” and 5” mullets hooked to a BKK weedless hook work well up on the flats. Tarpon have been biting along the coast and out near Sandy Key Basin. Live mullets, crabs and ladyfish have been getting the tarpon strikes. Tripletails have been holding next to the crab trap buoys and will eat a live shrimp. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have provided steady action from snappers, snook, redfish, and sea trout. This action is taking place along points and shorelines that have a good tidal flow. Jig heads with shrimp, soft plastics, and live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float is getting the no. Done on these fish. Big tarpons move in and out of these areas as the water temperatures change. When the waters are above 74 degrees the tarpon are there and hungry.High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:21 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 9:22 AM.
April 11-13 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 10 to 15 knots late Friday. Saturday through Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the north at 15 to 20 knots. Full moon on Saturday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
An early evening full moon outgoing tide this weekend should provide a nice tarpon and snook bite. The tarpons have been biting medium size crabs, large shrimp and mullets. The snook have been eating live shrimp and mullets. The offshore bite continues to be decent. A good number of sailfish, some decent size dolphin fish, a few kingfish, a decent amount of blackfin tunas, true Atlantic bonitos, and false albacore have all been biting this past week. Most of these fish have been caught in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. The sails, dolphins and bigger blackfin tunas are being caught using live baits fished under a kite. The smaller tunas and Atlantic bonitos are biting vertical jigs and have been over wrecks and rock piles in depths between 300 to 500 feet of water. The full moon this weekend could spark a nice wahoo bite along the outer reef line. High speed trolling and trolling large drone spoons deep with the help of a planer works well during the mornings for the wahoo. Some large hammerhead sharks have showed up in our area and have taken some of the kite baits. Big amberjacks and maybe the first spawning mutton snappers can be targeted over many of the offshore wrecks this weekend. The night reef bite continues to produce nice catches of yellowtail snappers. The yellowtails are being caught over rocky bottoms outside of 60 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:57.
North Biscayne Bay
Lots of mullet schools are in the bay. Big tarpons, barracudas, sharks, sea trout, snook, and large jack crevalles are feeding on the mullet schools. When the mullets are up on the flats creating mullet muds, large spawning sea trout can be found feeding under them. The NLBN 5” mullets have been catching a lot of these fish. The night tarpon bite continues to be good along the bay bridges and dock lights. Large shrimp have been getting it done. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:05.
South Bay
Bonefish and permits have been feeding along the oceanside flats of South Bay. Look for the permits to be feeding near the island points and over a hard bottom. Throw a live silver dollar size blue crab at the permits and a shrimp at the bonefish. A few super large mutton snappers are following large rays on the flat. They will eat that crab for sure. Head to the western shorelines of South Bay and start looking for some baby tarpons. These tarpons are suckers for the NLBN 3” paddle tails. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:35 in the morning.
Flamingo
I love a low tide in Florida Bay first thing in the morning. Perfect time to fish a live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float, or a shrimp on a jig head, or a soft plastic rigged weedless. Any of these rigs fished tight to the edge of the drop off of the flat, in a run off, or over a pothole is likely to get you strikes from a snook, redfish, large sea trout, or tarpon. Large tarpons gave been feeding on mullet schools in the areas of Sandy Key and along the shorelines from East Cape north to Lostmans River. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Keys have been good one day but not the next. When the fish are biting they have been around the island points, and over hard bottom. Expect sea trout, redfish and snook in these areas. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:32 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 11:12 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
April 4-6 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 15 to 20 knots late Friday through Saturday before subsiding on Sunday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be southeast at 15 knots before subsiding to 5 to 10 knots late Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
During some of the windiest nights last week, shrimp were running like crazy. Tarpons, snook, jack crevalles, ladyfish, snappers and sea trout were eating those shrimp as they moved through the bridges into the ocean. The offshore bite has been very unpredictable. Kingfish have been hard to find, sailfish continue to be caught by kite fishermen, wahoos were caught by trolling spoons deep, bonitos were scarce. It’s hard to believe that the fishing offshore would be so slow seeing the Spring migration has started. What action has happened offshore is near the reef from 100 to 200 feet of water. The bright spot was the beautiful weed lines that have formed offshore. These weed lines were found in depths from 200 feet of water, 350 feet of water, and outside of 800 feet of water. The deeper lines had quite a few dolphins feeding along them in the mornings. Most of these dolphins were under the legal size limit but if you kept at it you could get enough legal ones to make it worth the effort. Last week I fished for blackfin tunas late in the afternoon. To my disappointment what I witnessed was so alarming. Surrounded by 10 other boats loaded with fishermen with the same hopes as us of having tuna shashimi for dinner but only hooking up with these incredible tunas only to have the sharks take each one. We hooked five and lost them all. The first two made it to within feet of the boat only to be swallowed whole by these sharks. The same thing happened to the other 20 boats and fishermen. I saw one tuna come into a boat. A fish that might have been five pounds. That fish was hooked and literally pulled right into the boat before a shark could get it. Just terrible! I also heard of an estimated 80-pound wahoo being eaten by sharks after an hour battle. The wreck bottom fishing was only fair this week. A few muttons, vermilion’s, and yelloweye snappers. A few amberjacks and a catch and release grouper was caught. The nighttime reef fishing was fair this past week. Windy conditions made it tough. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:37.
North Biscayne Bay
Schools of mullets have moved into North Bay. One animal that has been having a field day on the mullet schools is the bottle nosed dolphins. Big tarpons, snook, sharks, jack crevalles, barracudas and sea trout are feeding on these baitfish. At night tarpon continue to be caught and released in decent numbers. The tarpons have been eating shrimp. Some of the tarpons that are being fought have been eaten by sharks. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11:01.
South Bay
Wins dropped off on Tuesday and the bonefish and permits loved it. The action was happening along the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne and along the western flats south of Key Biscayne. The best action has been on the first of the incoming tide. The Finger Channels have been producing snappers, pompano, jacks, and grunts. Live shrimp fished near the bottom is getting the strikes. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:31 in the morning.
Flamingo
Dirty water made fishing Florida Bay tough. If you found some clear water, snook, redfish and sea trout were biting. Live shrimp was the top bait. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays produced some nice action from snook, redfish, and sea trout. The fish were scattered along the island shorelines. The NLBN jig heads and paddle tail soft plastics was getting a lot of the strikes. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:06 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 11:51 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
March 28-30 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
There will be a new moon on Saturday. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of east at 15 to 25 knots late Friday. Saturday and Sunday east at 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Ree f
Sailfishing continues to be excellent, especially when the current is moving north and the winds are out of a northerly quadrant. The sailfish bite has been taking place in depths between 100 and 260 feet of water. If you can find an edge in these depths then that is most likely where the sails will be encountered. Kite fishing with frisky live threadfin herrings, goggle eye jacks, pilchards, small bluerunners, and ballyhoos has been the best way to get multiple sailfish hookups. You can also slow-drift the edges with the wind or with your engine slowly pushing you forward while you fish your live baits from the side of the boat on the stern of the boat. Some oversized dolphin fish have been cruising by our coast and occasionally will take a kite bait intended for sailfish. To make things more interesting a few pods of giant bluefin tunas have been sighted in our area. If you get a strike and in seconds your reel has no line left on it, most likely a bluefin was on the other end or maybe a submarine.😂A few large kingfish and decent size blackfin tunas are being caught offshore. The kings are mostly inside of 200 feet of water and blackfins outside of 200 feet of water. On the bottom over the wrecks when the current is fishable, amberjacks, mutton snappers and catch and release groupers have been eating live pinfish. Look for cobias to be added to the bottom fish catches as we get closer to April. The night reef bite continues to produce a mixed bag of snappers, grunts, toros, bluefish and a few kingfish. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:59.
North Biscayne Bay
Seatrout continue to be the main fish being caught in the bay right now. Schools of large mullets are migrating through our area and when they are up on the flats some of the biggest sea trout are eating them. Mixed in with the trout are tarpons, snook, barracudas, jack crevalles and sharks. Cast crop water artificial in the mullet muds and chances are good you will get an exciting top water explosive strike. The nighttime snook and tarpon bite has been good on the outgoing tides along the shadow lines of the bay bridges and in the ocean inlets. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:28.
South Bay
Calmer conditions this past week made targeting bonefish and some permits much easier. The Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne have been holding both bonefish and permits. The Eastern shorelines from Dinner Key south to Card Sound road have had bonefish medium size tarpons and snook to target. The incoming tides seem to be the getter tide to fish. You will need some large shrimp for the bonefish and a silver dollar size crab for the permits. The snook and tarpons will be eating live pilchards and mullets. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:45 in the morning.
Flamingo
A late morning low tide and a new moon condition will provide some big high tides and low low low tides. Look for snook, redfish and seatrout to be feeding in areas of big mullet muds and pot holes. The Savage Gear Twitch Reaper works well in the mullet muds. Tripletails have been plentiful behind the crab trap buoys. Most of these tripletails have been under 18 inches the minimal length allows fr a legally kept tripletail. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have been providing steady action from sea trout. Look for the trout to be feeding in front of the island points that have a good tidal flow and over the shallow flats between the islands. The NLBN jig heads tipped with a paddle tail soft plastic or shrimp tail have been killing the trout. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 11:23 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 8:47 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
March 21-23 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 10 to 15 knots. Saturday winds are forecasted to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots and Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the south at 10 to 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The chilly weather this past week had a shrimp running from the bay to the ocean on the outgoing tides. The tarpons were feeding on them as they drifted through the inlets. A large live shrimp suspended under a Cajun Thunder float and drifted through the inlet made an easy meal for the tarpons. Along the beaches and off the jetties and piers, a few mackerel, bluefish, jacks, pompano and snook were being caught. Live pilchards and shrimp were the best baits for these fish this week. The offshore bite was good and bad depending on what you were targeting. A few kingfish to 20 pounds were caught in depths between 40 to 100 feet of water. Chumming hard with live pilchards was the best way to get these fish in a feeding mood. Outside of 100 feet of water, sailfish continue to slide by our coast and at times in big numbers. The sailfish were traveling in pods of more than 2 fish but also as singles. The guys using kites and fish more than one bait at a time under the kites were getting multiple hookups. If they fished free-lined baits at the same time, those baits would get eaten by the sails as well. The sailfish were being caught along current rips in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. Fishing your baits around artificial wrecks in these depths increased your chances of catching the sailfish, blackfin tuna, wahoo, and some oversized dolphin fish. There have been some cobias, amberjacks, and big mutton snappers on many of the wrecks. A live pinfish doesn’t last long over a wreck that has some fish on it. The nighttime reef bite has been tough with the very conditions recently. In-between the windy nights when it’s been calm and the current is moving with the wind, yellowtail snappers can be chummed to the boat and caught on cut baits fished with light weights. The depths between 40 to 100 feet of water is where these fish are biting. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:54.
North Biscayne Bay
Windy conditions and tons of Spring Break boat traffic has made the bay waters dirty and choppy. These conditions have made fishing in the bay challenging. Schools of mullets are moving into the bay and a few big jack crevalles, tarpons, and sharks are feeding on them. Over the healthy pieces of sea grass beds that are left in the bay, sea trout have been healthy and hungry. A live shrimp or pilchard fished under a Cajun Thunder float rarely doesn’t get eaten by the trout but if you like throwing artificial baits then try the NLBN jig heads tipped with a paddle tail soft plastic. They are deadly on the trout. Tarpon fishing at night along the bay bridges continues to be good. Large live shrimp free lined under the bridges is the way to catch these silver giants. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:18.
South Bay
With the up and down weather conditions that we keep having, bonefish just don’t know where they should be. They want to get up on the shallow flats to feed but it’s been cold in the mornings. Then as it starts to warm up a bit another cold front moves in and sends them to deeper water. Look for the bonefish to be on the shallow flats during a late morning incoming tide or an early afternoon incoming tide when water temperatures are warmer. The Oceanside flats have been the most productive for the bonefish. A few Spanish mackerels have been roaming the South Bay. Anchor your boat and drop a chum bag over the side. If there are any mackerel in the area they should show up in ten or fifteen minutes. Fish a live shrimp under a float for the mackerels. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:48 in the morning.
Flamingo
Cold water in Florida Bay has slowed the snook and tarpon bite in Florida Bay. A few snook and redfish are being caught on a variety of baits late in the day after the sun has had a chance to warm the waters. The one fish that doesn’t seem to mind the cooler temps is the sea trout. My clients caught at least a hundred trout during an 8-hour charter. Only three were of legal size. We did have three snook to 24 inches and had two tripletails to 16 inches caught off of the crab trap markers. The backcountry waters continue to be chilly. But the sea trout don’t mind. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:50 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 3:30 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
March 14-16 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south late Friday through Sunday at 15 to 20 knots. Always check the most recent marine forecast before heading out on the water. We will be under the effects of a full moon this weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
A big full moon Friday night might get the bay shrimp running and if so with a bright moon overhead you should be able to see the hungry tarpons slurping them off the surface. The best tarpon bite has been either in the ocean inlets on the outgoing tides or along the bay bridges near the ocean inlets. Match the hatch for these tarpons! Off the Oceanside piers and jetties, expect jack crevalles, barracudas, snook, bluefish and Spanish mackerel to be eating anything that looks like a shrimp or pilchard. A few pompano have been passing by and will eat a live shrimp, sand flea or a Doc’s Goofy jig. The offshore bite has been pretty consistent for sailfish. The sailfish have been eating large live baits like threadfin herrings fished under a kite. These same baits are attracting kingfish, a few bonitos, blackfin tuna, and a dolphin. The big moon might spark a decent wahoo bite late in the afternoon. Look for wahoos around the sewer outfalls, along the outer reef, I front of the o ran inlets, and over artificial reefs inside of 300 feet of water. On the bottom over the deeper wrecks, a good amount of yelloweye and vermillion snappers have been eating chunks of squid on a chicken rig. The nighttime reef bite continues to produce steady catches of yellowtail snappers especially when the current and winds are going in the same direction. Look for these snappers in 60 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10PM.
North Biscayne Bay
The seatrout bite continues in the bay. The trout have been scattered throughout the bay but have been concentrated in small areas where baitfish, live grass on the bottom, and a good tidal flow is present. The trout have been biting the NLBN’s jig heads, and soft plastic paddle tails and shrimp. A live shrimp or pilchard fished under a Cajun Thunder float is another way to catch the trout. Tarpon fishing at night continues to be good. Look for the tarpons along the bay bridges near the ocean inlets. A large live shrimp rarely gets ignored by these tarpons when free-lined with the tide to their waiting mouths. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:32.
South Bay
Bonefish and few permits have been targetable along the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne. The bones and permits have also been feeding near the Arsenicker Keys and in the area of Card Sound road. For the permits you will need a silver-dollar-size blue crab. The bonefish like a large shrimp. Snook, jacks, small tarpons and barracudas have been feeding in areas where baitfish schools have been. Look for these fish along the western shorelines and into the canals near Black Piont. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:42 in the morning.
Flamingo
A strong outgoing tide in Florida Bay might trigger a good snook and redfish bite if these fish weren’t feeding at night on the bright full moon. The sides of channels in Snake Bight, Tin Can and Palm Channel are always good for these fish. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float or attached to a jig head will get you plenty of strikes. If you like throwing artificials then try the NLBN jig heads with either a paddle tail or shrimp tail. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, tripletails and cobia can be chummed to the boat and then targeted with shrimp. Anchor in 10 feet of water outside of Sandy Key and chum with frozen chum. It shouldn’t take long before the fish start biting. If the inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays temperatures get back into the mid 70’s, tarpons should return. Look for rolling tarpons and fish splashing on the surface. Fish a small ladyfish or pinfish in these areas for the tarpons. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 4:45 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 9:36 AM
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
March 7-9 Fishing Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south at 5 to 10 knots late Friday. Saturday winds are forecasted to be south at 10 to 15 knots. Sunday expect winds to be out of the southwest at 15 to 20 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Nighttime tarpon fishing continues to be good in the ocean inlets and sling the Oceanside beaches. Drifting large live shrimp behind the stern of your boat has been the best approach at catching the tarpons. Off the Oceanside piers, a few Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, jacks, barracudas and bluefish have been biting at different times during the day. The offshore bite has been best when the winds have been out of the north to northeast and the currents have been moving north. During these conditions large numbers of sailfish were being caught and released. The sailfish bite had been in 100 feet out to 300 feet of water. Dolphin fish have been moving through the area but have not been consistent. The dolphins have been caught by anglers targeting sailfish while fishing live baits under a kite. Kingfish, bonitos, a wahoo or two, and blackfin tuna have been caught in the same depths as the sailfish. In the blue water of the Gulf Stream, a few schools of dolphin fish have been caught under floating debris. This action has occurred in 500 feet of water or deeper. Over hard bottom outside of 100 feet of water, a few legal mutton snappers, amberjacks, yellowtail snappers, and catch and release red groupers have been caught on live pilchards. The deeper artificial wrecks have had decent numbers of vermillion snappers. Cut squid is getting the bites. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:04.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay fishing slowed a bit with the windy conditions and the large amount of boat traffic due to Spring Break. The boat wakes that have muddied the flats, Seatrout, mangrove snappers and small barracudas have been eating the NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3-inch paddle tail soft plastic. A few schools of tarpons have been feeding over some of the flats in the bay when the water temperatures have been above 75 degrees. The nighttime tarpon bite continues to be good along the shadow lines of many of the bridges in the bay. A large free lined live shrimp is best for these tarpons. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:04.
South Bay
Wind and dirty water have made sight fishing for bonefish a challenge. Anchoring your boat on top of a flat that has a decent tidal flow and then chumming with small pieces of shrimp helps bring the bones to the boat. Cast a live shrimp behind the boat and wait for the bones to find it. A few legal size mangrove snappers, mutton snappers, bluerunners, and yellowjacks, have been eating live shrimp in the finger channels. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:57 in the morning.
Flamingo
An incoming tide early in the morning in Florida Bay will allow you to take advantage of snook, redfish, sea trout and tarpons as they move up on the shallow Florida Bay flats. Hit the run offs and any part of the flat that shows signs of bait with shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float or a shrimp attached to a jig head. Saying soft plastics rigged weedless along the edges of the flat or up on the flat should get you into the action. Tarpons have been feeding on crabs, mullets, and shrimp in the channels near Sandy Key. Large redfish, snook, black drum, and cobias are being caught on shrimp and jig heads next to pilings and ice gets bottom in Florida Bay and in the Gulf of America. Redfish, snook and sea trout have been feeding along the mangrove shorelines along the coast north of Sable Creek. In Oyster Bay and Whitewater Bays, tarpons have been feeding on ladyfish and mullets when the water temperatures are above 75 degrees. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:51 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 12:07 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Feb. 28-March 2 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend. The New Moon is February 27 through the 28th.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Shrimp continue to run at night from the bay to the ocean. If you hit it right, big tarpons are sucking the shrimp right off the surface. The tarpon cans be targeted with large live shrimp drifted behind the boat. The NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3” paddle tail soft plastic or a NLBN shrimp and jig head work well on these tarpons. Look for the action near the ocean inlets, especially where lights shine in the water. Mangrove snappers, ladyfish, jack crevalles and snook are also feeding on the shrimp. Sailfish showed up in big numbers this past week offshore of the South Florida coast. The sails were moving through the area in small packs and attacking every bait in their line of sight. Mixed in with the sails were kingfish to 30 pounds, blackfin tuna to 20 pounds, wahoo and dolphin fish to 15 pounds. The most productive way to get into these fish is to deploy a kite and fish at least two baits under the kite. You can also slow drift live baits from the stern or drift fresh dead baits from the side of the boat. Most of this action is coming near artificial reefs in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. A few giant bluefin tunas have been spotted along the outside reefs. Over the wrecks in depths between 160 to 500 feet of water, vermillion and red snappers are being caught on chicken rigs baited with cut squid. At night, yellowtail snappers have been biting. This action is happening over the outer reefs in 60 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:07.
North Biscayne Bay
Baitfish schools have been hard to find in the bay. Shrimp have been running at night. Seatrout have been scattered over the shallow flats of the bay. Once you find them they have been eager to take a wide variety of artificial baits. Live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float have been catching the trout as well. At night, tarpons have been feeding on shrimp along the bay bridges. The best action is coming on the outgoing tide. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:39.
South Bay
Bonefishing has been good along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. High water in the morning will allow you an opportunity to get in tight to the shorelines where you should have good opportunities at cruising and mudding fish. The Finger Channels continue to provide rod-bending action for small snappers, groupers, jacks and grunts. The best baits for the channel fishing is shrimp and live pilchards. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:56 in the morning.
Flamingo
Hit the sides of the channels and runoffs of Florida Bay in the morning for redfish, snook and seatrout. Live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float allowed to drift down the edge of the flat should provide steady action from these fish. Don’t forget to pop that float every now and then to get the fishes attention. Look for Spanish mackerel and tripletail on the edges of the Gulf. Anchor in 10 feet of water and chum while you fish live shrimp under a float for these fish. When running from one spot to another keep an eye out for free floating tripletails. They love a live shrimp. The backwaters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays had quite a few hungry tarpon to target before it got chilly. It might take a few days before they move back into these areas. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 11:39 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 8:55 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Feb. 21-23 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 15 to 25 knots late Friday. Early Saturday winds are forecasted to stay at NE at 15 to 25 knots then winds are expected to decrease and move to a more easterly quadrant. Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon continue to be active in the ocean inlets during the outgoing tides. An early evening low tide on Friday night could make for some interesting inlet fishing. Large live shrimp continue to be the top tarpon baits at night. Off the Oceanside piers and jetties, snook, pompano, Spanish mackerel and bluerunners have been biting during the daytime. Live shrimp and pilchards have been getting these fish. The offshore bite picked up this week with more kingfish being caught. The kings have been eating live baits, fresh ballyhoos and Spanish sardines. Some of the kings have been in the 30-pound range. Look for the hogfish in depths between 60 to 180 feet of water. Flying kites and fishing frisky live baits under the kites in depths between 140 to 300 feet of water is producing sailfish, an occasional dolphin fis, and some large blackfin tuna. Fish the current rips and areas around artificial reefs for the most action. Daytime bottom fishing has seen some action from mutton and yellowtail snappers, amberjacks, and a few cobias. Most of this action is coming off of artificial reefs. Bottom fishing at night has produced an assortment of snappers, bluerunners, bluefish, toros, grunts and Spanish and king mackerels. Most of this action is happening in 60 to 90 feet of water. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:46.
North Biscayne Bay
During the week, tarpon were feeding over the shallow flats in Biscayne Bay. Cooler water temperatures this week probably will send them looking for warmer waters. The shallow flats in the bay continue to provide plenty of action from sea trout, small barracudas, snappers and jacks. The NLBN’s continue to catch lots of fish. At night during the outgoing tides tarpons have been feeding hard on live shrimp along the shadow lines of the bay bridges. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11.10.
South Bay
Bonefish and a few permits have been feeding over the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne. Permits have been caught on small crabs at the island points as the tide flows across it. The mainland flats south of Dinner Key south to Card Sound road continue to provide action from bonefish. Large live shrimp is getting the bonefish strikes.Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:40 in the morning.
Flamingo
Cooler conditions this weekend might push the fish off the flats and into the channels. As the water starts coming in hit the edges of the flats and runoffs with live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float or a NLBN artificial for snook, redfish, blackdrum, trout and sheepshead. Look for Spanish mackerel to be willing to play on the outside of Sandy Key in 10 to 12 feet of water. Use live shrimp for these fish. Keep an eye out for pompano, tripletails and cobia while targeting the mackerels. On the inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays, tarpons could be seen rolling and blowing baits out of the water. As long as the water temperatures stay up these fish could stay in these bays and be targeted with the NLBN’s. If the water temperatures drop into the low 70’s or 60’s the tarpon will head back into the Gulf. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:57 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 3:52 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Feb. 14-16 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 10 to 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots late Friday. Saturday winds are forecasted to be out of the southeast at 15 to 20 knots and Sunday NE 15 to 20 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Bay shrimp continue to run at night but the runs have not been consistent. Tarpons continue to feed on them, mostly at night and in the outgoing tides in the ocean inlets. It could be pretty rough in the inlets. Spanish mackerels are being caught off the Oceanside piers and jetties. Silver spoons and red and white jigs have been getting the Mac’s. The offshore bite has been fair with only a few kingfish being caught along the outside reefs. Sailfish, blackfin tuna, and dolphin fish are being caught in depths between 200 to 300 feet of water. Flying kites and fishing live baits in these depths has been the best way to get these fish on your line. There hadn’t been a lot of these fish to catch but if you stick with it you are more likely to catch some fish than not. Fish the areas around artificial reefs in these depths and out front of the ocean inlets to increase your chances. On the bottom during the daytime, vermillion snappers and amberjacks are being caught over many of the artificial reefs. Nighttime reef fishing is producing only a few yellowtail and mangrove snappers. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:02.
North Biscayne Bay
Baitfish schools in North Gay continue to be scattered throughout the bay. Big tarpons have been feeding on some of these baitfish schools, especially when they are over the shallow grass flats. Sea trout fishing continues to be excellent and the NLBN jig heads and soft plastic paddle tails continue to catch plenty of these fish. Jack crevalles and snook have been eating live shrimp fished near the bottom in the ocean inlets. Nighttime tarpon fishing has been good on the outgoing tides. The bay bridges and dock lights have been providing the action. Live shrimps is getting the fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:37.
South Bay
Bonefishing has been very good when the winds have allowed good sight fishing. The Oceanside flats from Bear Cut south to the Ragged Keys have had the most bonefish this past week. Since the waters have warmed up the Finger Channels have been providing action from snappers, small groupers, lots of jacks, and a few bluefish, pompano, and mackerel. Use live shrimp for these fish. Tarpons s have been feeding on li e mullets when fished along the south side of the Rickenbacker Causeway beaches. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:48 in the morning.
Flamingo
Snook and redfish have been biting live shrimps fished on a jig head or from under a Cajun Thunder float in the channels of Snake Bight, Tin Can, and Palm channel. The NLBN’s are catching these fish as well. Permits, black drum, redfish, snook, and cobias are being caught around the markers and over the rock pines outside the Parks boundary lines. Live pinfish, crabs, and live shrimp is getting these fish. Spanish mackerel are eating live shrimps in 10 feet of water south and west of Sandy Key. Tarpons are scattered over the shallow waters of Whitewater Bay and have been feeding on small ladyfish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 4:36 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 9:40 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Feb. 7-9 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots late Friday through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Shrimp have been running at night on the outgoing tides. Tarpon have been ambushing the shrimp at the mouths of the ocean inlets as they head for the ocean. Drifting live shrimp in these areas is the best way to get the tarpons. The offshore bite has been challenging with exception of sailfish, dolphin fish and blackfin tunas. The sailfish have been eating live baits fished under a kite in depths between 100 and 300 feet of water. Dolphins have on occasions come into the spread and eaten some of the baits intended for the sailfish. Blackfin tuna continue to be caught off of the deepest artificial reefs and rock piles. The tunas are being caught on live pilchards and vertical jigs. Daytime wreck bottom fishing was slow. Nighttime reef fishing when the current is moving with the wind has been good. Yellowtail, mangroves and mutton snappers have been eating small baits fished with the lightest weights. It takes a good 30 minutes of chumming to get the fish in a feeding mood. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:22.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay fishing has been very good for sea trout but not for much more than that. The sea trout have been averaging 13 to 20 inches and have been eating the NLBN 1/4-ounce jig heads tipped with a 3-inch paddle tail. These baits work well with a steady slow retrieve. Once you locate the fish you will get a strike on almost every cast. There have been small mangrove snappers holding over rocky bottom in the bay. Live shrimp has been working well on the snappers. At night along many of the bridge shadow lines, tarpon, snook, sea trout, and snappers have been attacking almost every shrimp that passes by them. The action is happening on the outgoing tides. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:30.
South Bay
Light winds have made sight casting at tailing and cruising bonefish over the Oceanside flats from Bear Cut south to Ocean Reef. Bonefish have also been feeding over the mainland flats from Dinner Key south to Card Sound Road. Look for the bonefish to most active on the early incoming tides. Large live shrimp make great baits for the bonefish. The Finger Channels have had plenty of small mangrove snappers and small jack crevalles for catch and release action. Live shrimp fished near the bottom will keep you in the action. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:47 in the morning.
Flamingo
An early morning low tide in Florida Bay will provide steady action from small snook, redfish, and sea trout in Snake Bight Channel, Tin Can, and Palm Channel. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder or a jig head tipped with a live shrimp will get you in on the action. Small tarpons have been feeding along the Florida Bay island shorelines. Bigger snook have been biting along the coast. A live pinfish cast near the downed mangrove trees is getting the strikes. Spanish mackerel can be chummed to the boat when anchored south and west of Sandy Key. Again a live shrimp on a jig or a shrimp under a float will get you the Mac’s. If this side waters stay warm, expect the big tarpons to move into Whitewater Bay. These tarpons will eat a live pinfish, medium size blue crab, or an artificial lure that temples a mullet. Look for tolling tarpons or free jumping tarpons to help you locate the fish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:14 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 4:57 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Jan. 31-Feb. 2 Report During the hottest summer days in South Florida, fishermen often read or hear fishing reports that say we are experiencing the summer doldrums. That’s when our fishing slows down. You never hear that during the months of January or February because it’s not hot but it can be a bit cool and sometimes cool enough to chase fish out of our areas or just stop them from feeding. Well, that’s kind of what we have seen in recent weeks offshore and inshore of Key Biscayne.
Surface water temperatures dropped into the mid 60’s this past week shutting down the bite from many of the fish we like to target. However, there still remained some outstanding fishing if you know what to target, and when and how to target those fish. At night, especially during the outgoing tides, bay shrimp were heading to the ocean. Tarpons in the 40 to 60 pound range, snook, and jack crevalles were slurping them off the surface making for some hot fishing during cool nights. These fish can be targeted along the Bear Cur bridge, the Rickenbacker bridge, Government Cut and the Cape Florida Channel. Drifting large live shrimp in these areas or casting and retrieving anything that resembles a live shrimp should provide you plenty of action. Adding some weight to your rig could get you some extra strikes from snappers, snook, and groupers.
Joey and Bryant getting into a hot sea trout bite. (Photo by Capt. Alan Sherman) Sea trout have been very active over the shallow grass flats in the bay. Casting the NLBN jig heads with a 3” soft plastic tail has been providing my clients with non-stop trout action. The offshore angler armed with plenty of frisky live baits will see enough sailfish in the 100 to 200 depths to provide periodic action throughout the day. If you get lucky you might have pods of 6 or more sailfish attack your baits at one time. Kite fishing is the best way to target the sailfish. A few dolphin fish or a blackfin tuna often will find one of your baits while waiting for a sailfish. A few kingfish, wahoo, and lots of barracudas might eat your baits. On the bottom over some of the artificial reefs in 200 feet of water, vermillion and mutton snappers can be targeted with cut squid or live baits. The night bite has been tough over the reefs due to the windy conditions. Those that have tried their luck have had a mixed bag of bluefish, a few snappers, and grunts.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Jan. 24-26 Report Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The cold weather that hit South Florida this past week dropped water temperatures into the 60s. That’s low enough to shut most fish down from feeding. If you can find some water temperatures in the 70s you increase your chances of finding a few hungry fish. Places to look for the higher water temperatures might be the ocean inlets and along the Gulf Stream. You might see some hungry tarpons in the ocean inlet feeding on live shrimp. A few large yellowjacks and jack crevalles could also be something feeding in the inlets. Big barracudas are being caught on the outside of the inlets and over many of the natural reefs. Outside of the outer reef and along the Gulf Streams edge beside barracudas there have been some kingfish, bonitos, and a few sailfish. On the bottom during the daytime and over the artificial reefs, a few vermillion snappers, amberjacks and mutton snappers. At night a few snappers, bluefish, blue runners and grunts were being caught in the dredge holes and on the outer edge the reefs. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:28.
North Biscayne Bay
Cold water has chased most of the baitfish and Spanish mackerel, juvenile kingfish and bluefish out of the bay. Hopefully, they will return when the temps come up. Sea trout are still in the bay but might not be feeding till late morning or afternoon. Look for the trout to be holding along the deeper edges of the flats. Quite a few small jack crevalles are scattered throughout the bay. The nighttime snook and tarpon action has slowed. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:28.
South Bay
Your best bet this weekend might be the Finger Channels in South Bay. With some of the deepest waters in the bay and strong tidal flows from the ocean, this is where I would expect most fish to be hiding. Live shrimp would be the best baits this week in the channels. I would expect the bonefish to return to the flats once the water temperatures stabilize. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:45 in the morning.
Flamingo
Look for almost every fish in Florida Bay to be holding from the cold in the deeper channels that have strong tidal flows. Fish a live shrimp or piece of shrimp on a jig head that stays close to the bottom. Expect the bites to be light even from a large fish. The creeks, canals and rivers from East Cape canal north to Shark River will provide some action from snook, redfish, black drum, sheepshead and sea trout. Once again, live shrimp and a jig might be the best rig for these fish. A Cajun Thunder flush on a shrimp might get some action as well. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:30 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 5:18 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Jan. 17-19 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southwest at 15 to 20 knots late Friday through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon fishing around the ocean inlets continues to be good at night and during the daytime. The tarpons are feeding mostly on the outgoing tides and they have been eating shrimp. The offshore bite has slowed with the changing weather conditions we have had this week. Kite fishermen are getting shots at sailfish almost everyday. Having some very frisky live baits makes the difference when kite sailfishing. The sails have been biting along current rips in depths from 100 feet of water out to 300 feet of water. Along the outer reef, a few kingfish are biting. Look for the kings in depths between 90 to 200 feet of water. A few bonitos are mixed in with the kings. Live and dead ballyhoos, pilchards and threadfin herrings have been getting the bulk of the strikes. Small blackfin tunas continue to be schooled up over the deeper artificial wrecks and rock piles. Vertical jigs and pilchards is your best baits for these fish. Dolphin fish have been scarce. The daytime bottom bite has been mostly a mixed bag of vermillion snappers, red groupers, triggerfish, porgies and small jacks. These fish are being caught over rocky bottom and shallower artificial reefs. Cut bait has been catching these fish. The night reef bite has been fair with bluefish, mackerel, grunts, lane, yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snappers. The outside of the reefs had been the better places to fish. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:11.
North Biscayne Bay
Baitfish schools in the bay have had undersized king mackerels, legal size Spanish mackerels, jacks, bluerunners and barracudas feeding on them. Trolling Rapala X Raps around these baitfish schools will keep you busy. The shallow grass flats of Biscayne Bay continue to provide action from sea trout, barracudas, jacks, and ladyfish. The NLBN 1/4 ounce jig heads tipped with a 3-inch soft plastic tail is getting a lot of these fish. A Cajun Thunder float and a live shrimp is a deadly combination on the flats. The nighttime tarpon bite has been very good in the bay. Hit the bridges with large live shrimps on an outgoing tide. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:48.
South Bay
Bonefishing has been best on the incoming tides in South Bay. The Oceanside flats have been the most productive for the bonefish but there has been fish on the mainland flats too. The bonefish have been heading for deep water when the fronts hit and then return to the flats a few days after the fronts. Large live shrimp is the best for the bonefish. The Finger Channels are loaded with small mutton snappers. In Biscayne National Park, mutton snappers must measure 19 inches from tip of nose to tip of longest tail fin. You are allowed only five mutton snappers per angler. The snappers have been eating live shrimp and pilchards fished on or near to the bottom. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:18 in the morning.
Flamingo
A warning to boaters with large boats that are launching from the Florida Bay boat ramp. The depth in the main channel has been so low on the low tides when the wind is blowing from the north that getting stuck in the channel has been a real problem. Once you get out into Florida Bay, trout, small snook, black drum, redfish and sheepshead have been eating Iive shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float or attached to a jig head. The Florida Bay channels have been producing these fish. The Parks boundary markers have been holding some big snook, cobia, black drum and redfish. Use your side scan to help you locate a fish to cast a shrimp or pinfish to. The inside creeks and rivers around Shark River, Oyster Bay, and Whitewater Bay continues to produce catches of sea trout, redfish, small snook, and snappers. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:43 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:51 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Dec. 10-12 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south at 15 to 20 knots late Friday and then Saturday through Sunday the winds are forecasted to be 15 to 20 knots out of the north.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon and snook fishing continues to be good in the ocean inlets at night. Large live shrimp have been the top baits for these fish. For tarpons fish the shrimp near the surface. For the snook fish the baits near the bottom. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano and snook have been biting off the Oceanside jetties and piers. The mackerel and bluefish are biting pilchards and silver spoons. The pompano and snook are going for shrimp. The cooler temperatures have made the offshore bite tough. Kingfish continue to be caught off the outside of the outer reefs. Trolling rigged ballyhoos or drone spoons with a planer attached to your line helps get your baits to the depth that the kings are holding. Chumming and fishing live pilchards is another way to get the kings to bite. A few sailfish have been caught in depths between 100 to 200 feet of water. Fishing large live threadfin herrings under a kite is getting the sailfish strikes. Dolphin fish were scarce this week. Blackfin tunas continue to be caught on live pilchards and vertical jigs over many of the deeper artificial reefs and rock piles in depths from 200 to 500 feet of water. Daytime bottom wreck fishing is producing almoco jacks, amberjacks, and a few genuine red snappers. Live pinfish and squid is a good bait for these fish. Nighttime reef fishing has been good for lane, mangrove, yellowtail and mutton snappers. Bluefish, jacks and grunts have made up the remainder of the nighttime catch. The reefs in 50 to 90 feet of water have been the best. Low tide at Government Cut Friday nightwill be at 11:32.
North Biscayne Bay
A few mackerel, bluefish, and bluerunners have been shadowing the few baitfish schools in the bay. Casting shiny lures around the baitfish schools is one way to catch these fish. Sea trout continue to eat the 1/4 ounce NLBN jig heads and 3” soft plastic tails. Scatter cast around the edges of the flats or on top of the flats that have 3 feet of water over the tops of the bay grasses. The nighttime tarpon bite has been good along the shadow lines of the bay bridges on the outgoing tides. A free lined live shrimp is the bait for these tarpons. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:41.
South Bay
South Bay has had loads of under size mutton snappers and small kingfish that must be 24” to the fork to be legal. Kings have a grey dorsal fin and Spanish mackerel have a black dorsal fin. Both species have been eating live shrimp and pilchards and have been providing lots of rod bending action. The snappers have been in the channels and the mackerels have been roaming the bay. Bonefish have been biting on the incoming tides in South Bay. The mainland flats south of Dinner Key have been providing hood bonefish action. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:58 in the morning.
Flamingo
The colder weather has pushed many of the snook, redfish, sea trout, drum and sheepshead into the deeper channels and in the notes along the Florida Bay islands. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float is a good rig for the island motes. A live shrimp hooked to a jig head is the way to go in the channels of Florida Bay. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have had a few snook, redfish, sea trout, and snappers feeding along the island points that have a depth of three to six feet. A live shrimp fished on the bottom is the way to go for these fish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:02 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 6:32 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Jan. 3-5 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 15 to 20 knots late Friday. Saturday winds will be out of the northeast at 15 knots and Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the northeast at 10 knots. The Atlantic grouper season closed on Jan. 1st. If you catch a grouper and plan on keeping it, it would be wise to go to www.myfwc.com to make sure you are not breaking a law.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Bay shrimp have been moving from the bay to the ocean at night on the outgoing tides. The runs have not been consistent but when they run the tarpon have been slurping them off the surface. During the daytime when the waters near the surf have been churned up, pompano, snook, bluefish, and Spanish mackerels are being caught off the Oceanside piers and jetties. The pompano are being caught on live sand fleas and shrimp, and the snook are biting live shrimp. The bluefish and mackerels are eating live pilchards. The offshore bite has slowed and that is typical of January. A few sailfish are being caught in live baits fished under a kite. A few dolphin fish have taken baits intended for the sailfish. Kingfish have been scattered along the outside reef. A few bonitos and barracudas are being caught in dead ballyhoos slow-drifted behind the boat. The best action is happening from the outside of the outer reef to 300 feet of water. Small blackfin tuna are being caught over some of the deeper wrecks and rock piles. The tunas have been deep and can be caught on vertical jigs or by live chumming. Once the tunas start eating the live baits you can catch them on almost anything thrown in their direction. Daytime bottom fishing has produced some big genuine red snappers that have eaten squid. The red snappers are being caught over deep wrecks. Nighttime reef fishing is producing a mixed bag of snappers, grunts, bluefish, grunts, small groupers and bluerunners. Cut bait fished near the bottom is getting the job done. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:16.
North Biscayne Bay
Cooler waters have made sea trout fishing more difficult. The best trout bite is coming late in the morning and into the afternoon. Jig heads and shrimp imitation baits fished near the bottom is getting most of the strikes. The trout are most active in depths between 2 to 4 feet of water over grass and in areas where there is a good tidal flow. Small kingfish and Spanish mackerel are roaming the bay and can be caught on live pilchards fished under a Cajun Thunder float. Fish these baits in areas where baitfish schools are present. Nighttime tarpon action has been good along the shadow lines of the bay bridges near the ocean inlets on the outgoing tides. A large live shrimp free-lined to the bridge is the way to go for these tarpon. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:46.
South Bay
Bonefish has been good on both sides of South Bay when water temperatures have had a chance to stabilize between cold fronts. Look for the bones to be feeding on the mainland flats south of Dinner Key. Look for bonefish on the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. The action is taking place on the incoming tides. Large live shrimp are the way to go for the bones. The Finger Channels are loaded with under-size mutton and mangrove snappers. This is great rod-bending action but not much for dinner. Fish live shrimp and pilchards near the bottom for these fish. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:16 in the morning.
Flamingo
Look for snook, redfish, blackdrum, sheepshead and sea trout to be in all of the deeper channels where the waters are warmer. Put shrimp on a jig head and let it sit or retrieve it slowly to get these fish on your hook. A Cajun Thunder and a live shrimp fished along the channel edges or up close to the mangroves works well on these fish. If the weather is nice then expect Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, tripletails and cobias to be in good numbers out in the Gulf. A live shrimp under a float works well on all of these fish. Anchor and chum in 10 feet of water is where these fish normally are. Give the spot about 20 minutes to find the chum. If nothing happens move on. The inside waters of Shark River, Oyster Bay, and Whitewater Bay has been slow with the cooler waters. The best action is taking place along the deeper mangrove shorelines that have a good tidal flow. Fish shrimp bear the bottom for snappers, redfish, sheepshead, sea trout, and black drum. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:38 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 11:10 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Dec. 27-29 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 15 to 20 knots late Friday and Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be from the southeast at 10 to 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon fishing in the ocean inlets has been very good on the evening outgoing tides. Shrimp have been running at night and tarpon have been slurping them off the surface. From the Oceanside piers and jetties, a few mackerel, bluefish, bluerunners and pompanos are being caught. Kingfish and Spanish mackerel are biting live pilchards in 40 to 60 feet of water. Anchoring and live chumming is bringing them to the boat. Outside the outer reef, kingfish, bonitos, sailfish and a few dolphin fish are being caught on free-lined live baits, live baits fished under a kite, and drifted fresh ballyhoo and sardines. The fish have been biting in depths between 80 to 200 feet of water. Over the deeper wrecks and rock piles, blackfin tuna are being caught. Most of these tunas are small and have been close to the bottom. A few dolphin fish are being caught in the Gulf Stream along broken weed lines and from under floating debris. Large amberjacks are taking live baits fished near the bottom. The jacks are holding over wrecks outside of 200 feet of water. Along the outer reef in depths from 100 feet of water to 120 feet of water, yellowtail and mutton snappers plus a few large red groupers are biting. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:20.
North Biscayne Bay
Look for a few Spanish mackerel, bluefish, lots of jack crevalles and ladyfish to be stalking the baitfish schools that have been moving through the bay. Sea trout continue to be available and have been moving higher up in the shallow grass flats. The NLBN jig heads and 3-inch soft plastics have been catching all of these fish in the bay. The Rapala X Raps are also caching fish and can be slow trolled around the schools of bait. A live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float makes a nice combination for these fish. At night along many of the bay bridges, tarpons have been feeding on live shrimp fished near the surface. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:09.
South Bay
The finger channels have been loaded with small under size mutton snappers. A few yellowjacks, small groupers, loads of small jack crevalles, grunts and big bull sharks. Spanish mackerel, small kingfish, and bluefish are scattered in South Bay. Anchoring and chumming and fishing live shrimp or pilchards under a float is getting bites from these fish. Bonefish are being caught on both the Oceanside flats and the mainland flats. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:26 in the morning.
Flamingo
Look for snook, redfish, sheepshead, sea trout and black drum to be looking for a live shrimp fished near the bottom attached to a jig head, or a live shrimp fished under a noisy Cajun Thunder float in and along the edges of the channels and along many of the islands in Florida Bay. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, lane snappers, jacks, bluerunners and ladyfish can be chummed to the boat and caught on live shrimp in 10 feet of water just to the south and west of Sandy Key. Look for tripletails lurking under the crab trap buoys as you travel from one location to another. The creeks leading into Shark River, Oyster Bay and Whitewater Bay have been producing snook, redfish, sheepshead, snappers, sea trout, and Goliath groupers. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:28 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 6:32 AM.
Dec. 19-22 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 10 to 15 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be from the northeast at 10 to 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Last week’s big winds and high seas kept most fishermen off the water resulting in few if any fishing reports. Now, with more normal winds, we can get back out on the water and see what’s biting. The first shrimp runs of this season happened at night last week. Shrimp were running on the outgoing tide and tarpons and snook were feeding on them. Snook season closed on Dec. 15th. The ocean inlets and bay bridges near the inlets is where that action was happening. Off the ocean piers, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, pompano, a few small cobias, jacks and bluerunners were being caught. Outside the outer reef, kingfish were biting in 100 feet of water. The guys trolling feathers with strips of bonito deep with the help of a planer were getting the most strikes. Sailfish should be around in decent numbers and looking to eat a frisky live bait fished from under a kite in depths over 250 feet of water. Dolphin fish should be out in the bluewater as they look to chase down schools of ballyhoos and flying fish. Keep an eye out for frigate birds quickly dropping to the surface of the ocean. That’s a great sign that the bird is over feeding fish. Blackfin tunas can be found over many of the deeper artificial reefs. You may need a vertical jig dropped to the bottom and jigged to the surface to get the fish feeding. Vermillion snappers were biting cut squid before the winds picked up. If the current isn’t bad drop some bottom baits to the bottom. The wrecks outside of 300 feet of water have been holding the most fish. Nighttime reef fishing should be good for yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snappers. Bluefish, mackerel, kingfish, groupers, grunts and bluerunners can be found on the reefs in 40 to 60 feet of water. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:51.
North Biscayne Bay
Before the winds picked up, sea trout were biting good along many of the shallow flats that have shoal grass. The best bite was near the channels. The NLBN’s were getting lots of strikes. A few mackerel, bluefish, bluerinners and jack crevalles were feeding along the channel edges. Especially if baitfish schools were nearby. At night under the lighted dock lights snook and tarpons can be targeted for catch and release. A live shrimp is the ticket for these fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:16.
South Bay
Bonefish should be eager to take your bait this weekend. Hit the flats on the Oceanside and mainland side of South Bay. A large shrimp cast near a tailing or cruising bonefish during the early part of the incoming tide won’t be ignored. The Finger Channels should be loaded with undersize mutton snappers for rod-bending action. Mixed in with the muttons might be some legal mangrove snappers, bluerunners, yellowjacks, bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Use live shrimp and pilchards for the best action. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:46 in the morning.
Flamingo
High water in the morning in Florida Bay will allow you a good shot at fishing the shorelines along the coast for snook, redfish, black drum, sheepshead and sea trout. A live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float and a live shrimp hooked to a jig head is a deadly combination for these fish. If the waters aren’t too choppy, look for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano and many other predators out in the Gulf looking to eat anything that looks like a live shrimp. Anchor in 10 feet of water south and rest of Sandy Key for these fish. As your running look for tripletails shadowing the crab trap buoys. Again a live shrimp will get you a quick strike from a tripletail. The inside waters of Shark River, Oyster Bay and Whitewater Bay can be targeted for snook, redfish, drum, snappers, Goliath groupers and sea trout. Look for these fish to be holding along undercut shorelines and the island points. Above shrimp fished on a jighead or under a float gets these fish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:49 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 5:02 AM.
Dec. 13-15 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
If the marine forecast holds up for this weekend you can expect the offshore waters to be extremely rough. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 15 to 25 knots and possible gusts to 30 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sundays winds will start to subside but will still be northeast at 15 to 25 knots. We will have a full moon on Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon and snook had been biting well in the ocean inlets but with the weather report and the full moon tides I would expect the inlets to be a bit dangerous even for a large center console. From the ocean piers, snook, pompano and bluefish might be biting live shrimp or sand fleas. The offshore bite slowed last week with a few sailfish being caught along with a few kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tuna and dolphin fish. If your boat can handle the six to nine foot seas that are supposed to be offshore this weekend then you might have a shot at some of these fish. The best bite was happening between 90 to 200 feet of water. Bottom fishing will be a challenge day and night due to the big seas. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:39.
North Biscayne Bay
I would expect the bay to be a bit choppy this weekend but there will be some protected waters to fish in the bay. With a northeast wind, the north side of most shorelines will give you some relief from the wind. The east side of the bay might be fishable as well. Look for sea trout to be feeding along the edges of grass flats. The NLBN’s have been catching a lot of sea trout. Eastern Shores, Dumfoundling Bay and the sea walls and mangrove shorelines can be targeted with artificial baits for snook, jacks, and snappers. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:45.
South Bay
Bonefishing may need to be put on hold this weekend due to the windy and rough conditions. The Finger Channel however might provide some action from bluefish, jacks, snappers, and small groupers. Fish the bottom with live shrimp. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:02 in the morning.
Flamingo
Target the shorelines from Snake Bight north to Middle Cape where the waters will be protected from the northeast winds. Love shrimp on a jig head or fished under a Cajun Thunder float might be your best bet for catching snook, redfish, sea trout, drum and sheepsheads. You may have to wait for the tide to start coming in before you can get close to the shorelines. The backcountry will have lots of protected shorelines for you to target snook, redfish and sea trout. Casting artificials to the mangrove shorelines will get you into the action. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:05 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:01 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Dec. 5-8 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 10 to 15 knots late Friday. On Saturday and Sunday expect winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Our water temperatures from the bay to the ocean had been in the mid 60s to the low 70s this past week. Most of the fish we want to target prefer water temps above 70 so that’s what you want to look for before you put your baits out. Tarpons had been biting good at night but the bite slowed a bit with the low water temperatures. Once the temps come up a few degrees I would expect the tarpon bite to pick up again. Free lining live shrimp had been the best way to get a tarpon bite. Oceanside pier fishermen have been catching a few bluefish, bluerunners, jack crevalles, pompano and Spanish mackerel. Live shrimp, pilchards and shiny artificials are what you will need to catch these fish. The offshore bite slowed due to the rough conditions offshore. The fishermen who did go offshore found some nice dolphin fish to 25 pounds, a few nice kingfish to 20 pounds, a few Spanish and cero mackerel, bonitos and more sailfish than we have been seeing. Maybe the big swells created by the north winds and north currents have turned the sailfish on. Fishing large live baits under a kite has been the way to go for the sailfish. On the bottom over artificial reefs in depths between 120 to 240 feet of water, vermillion snappers were being caught on chicken rigs with cut squid and bonito. The night bite was producing a mixed bag of snappers, bluefish, grunts, bluerunners and toros. The dredge holes and reefs in 40 to 60 feet of water was producing some of the best action. High tide at Government Cut Friday late afternoon will be at 5:57.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters were in the mid 60s and that’s pretty cold for most South Florida fish. Even though there are decent-sized schools of bait in the bay, unfortunately there have been few mackerels or bluefish feeding on them. Sea trout fishing slowed with the cold water, too. The best bite has come late in the morning after the water temps have come up a few degrees. Fish the parts of the shallow flats that have a decent tidal flow for the best trout action. Live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float is the best rig for the trout. The nighttime tarpon and snook bite was only fair this past week. Look for this fishery to get better as the water temperatures rise. The dock lights and bridge lights that have a good tidal flow will be the best places to target the snook and tarpons. Use live shrimp for these fish. Low tides at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:02.
South Bay
With bay waters temperatures in the 60s, the bonefish have high tailed it for deeper waters. The best bite in South Bay this past week was for mackerel around the markers in the bay and then for mutton snappers in the Finger Channels. The mutton snapper fishing is for mostly catch and release because 99 percent of the muttons are under the 19-inch minimum legal size limit in Biscayne National Park. The muttons seemed to be everywhere for myself and my son on Wednesday. We caught them using live pilchards. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:32 in the morning.
Flamingo
Cold water has pushed most of the snook, sheepshead, blackdrum, redfish, and sea trout into the deeper channels. Fishing a live shrimp near the bottom or under a Cajun Thunder float is the way to get these fish on your hook. Expect the bite to get better as you get close to mid day then taper off as the sun sets. Often when the water gets cold, bites are light even when it’s a large fish. When the winds lay down, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, cobia, and tripletails can be targeted from an anchored boat in 10 feet of water. Chumming with frozen blocks of chum while fishing a live shrimp free lived or under a float is how many of these fish are caught. The inside water mangrove shorelines that have a depth of over six feet of water with a tidal flow is where the snook, redfish, sea trout, and snappers will be. Fish live shrimp for these fish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:37 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 4:01 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Nov . 29-Dec. 1 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 10 to 15 knots late Friday and 5 to 10 knots out of the west. Saturday and Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the north at 15 knots. We will see a new moon on Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon fishing in the ocean inlets especially at night has been quite good. The silver giants are feeding mostly on the outgoing tide and eating large live shrimp fished near the surface. Snook season is still open and snook are being caught in the ocean inlets using live shrimp, pilchards, and pinfish. The snook have been near the bottom. When the water along the beaches and past the end of the jetties and piers, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalles, and bluerunners are being caught. For these fish use live shrimp, pilchards, sand fleas, and shiny artificial lures. The offshore bite has been decent. Spanish and cero mackerels are being caught in depths from 40 feet out to 100 feet of water. Live pilchards have been getting g the bites. Kingfish to 20 pounds, bonitos, and sailfish are being caught in depths from 100 feet of water out to 240 feet of water. Live baits have been the top catchers of these fish. Trolling Sea Witches tipped with strip of a bonito belly deep in the water column is getting li fish and a few wahoos. Dolphin fish were more scattered this week. The few that were caught were in depths outside of 400 feet of water. On the bottom, a few decent mutton snappers were biting. The mutton snappers were being caught over rocky bottom in depths outside of 100 feet of water. At night over the natural reefs, bluefish, yellowtail snappers, grunts, jacks, bluerunners, and toros made up the bulk of the catch. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:10.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters have temperatures that have dropped a few degrees. The cooler temps have been good for sea trout fishing, bluefish, jacks, and Spanish mackerels. Look for the trout to be higher up on the flats now and expect the bite to get better as the sun warms water. If you want to target mackerel and bluefish in the bay then look for diving terns and pelicans to help you locate where the baitfish schools are. Once you find the bait then troll or cast shiny artificial baits that resemble the baitfish in the area. Keep an eye out for small explosions on the surface to tell you locate where the fish are. Nighttime snook and tarpon action has been good. Look for the tarpons on the outgoing tide along the bay bridges. The snook will be feeding under the lighted docks in the bay. Live shrimp is the ticket for these fish. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:02.
South Bay
Bonefishing has been good along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. High water in the morning will have the bonefish feeding up in the flats. Look for small muds to help you locate where the fish is. Cast a large live shrimp in front of that mud and chances are good you will get a solid hookup from that bone. The mainland flats south of Dinner Key have been good for bonefish. Captain Jorge Valverde likes to run along the flat looking for bonefish that have spooked from his boat. Once he passes the fish he will circle back and pole his way up on the flat where he thinks that fish is heading. It worked the day I fished with him. The Finger Channels have been providing good action from snappers, jacks, blue runners, and grunts. Live shrimp and pilchards have been working in these channels. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:19 in the morning.
Flamingo
The outside waters of Florida Bay and the shorelines near Shark River have been very muddy. If on the day you choose to fish the winds are not blowing g and the water has cleared then expect snook and redfish to be up on the flats or in the nearby channels depending on how cold it is. If it’s cold fish the channels with live shrimp on a jig. Work the bait slow and expect the strike to be light. A Cajun Thunder float and a live shrimp is a deadly combo in these areas. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, and tripletails have been around in good numbers out past Sandy Key. Anchor in 10 feet of water and chum while you fish live shrimp for these fish. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays continue to provide steady action from sea trout, redfish, and snook, hit the deeper shorelines that have a tidal flow for the best action. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:25 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:24 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Nov. 22-24 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
The first significant cold fronts will be moving through South Florida changing our comfortable weather and throwing our marine life into a spin. Summer maybe over. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 15 to 20 knots late Friday through Saturday. By Saturday night winds will be northeast at 5 to 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Up until the cold weather moved in, snook fishing in the ocean inlets was excellent. Now with water temperatures dropping I would expect the snook fishing to slow down. The fish will still be in the inlets but possibly a lot less active. Look for bluefish, Spanish mackerel, bluerunners and jack crevalles to be willing to take a flashy artificial lure, live shrimp, or pilchard. The offshore bite had been consistent when it came to kingfish, Spanish and cero mackerels, bonitos, and dolphins. These fish were biting just outside the outer reef to about 300 feet of water. Live pilchards and ballyhoos were getting a lot of the strikes but guys are trolling Sea Witches or drone spoons with a planer to get the baits deeper in the water column. With the north winds we might see more sailfish in our area. A frisky live bait fished under a kite is the way to get the sails on your hook. The by-catch might be dolphin fish, blackfin tuna and wahoo. If dolphins are on your mind, most of the dolphins caught recently had been singles or doubles and were caught inside of 400 feet of water. Blackfin tunas were being caught over the deeper wrecks and rock piles. If you see midwater fish on your depth spy set while cruising over these areas then there is a good chance that they are there. They can be chummed to the surface with live pilchards. Or you can drop a vertical jig to the bottom and there is a good chance that you will hook up as you work the bait to the surface. On the bottom, a few decent-size mutton snappers and amberjacks were being caught on live pinfish while fishing artificial wrecks in depths between 100 to 240 feet of water. At night and during the daytime, decent-size yellowtail snappers were being caught in good numbers. The tails were biting in depths from 80 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:53.
North Biscayne Bay
Colder water from the recent cold fronts will shut the inshore snook and tarpon bite down till the bay waters stabilize. The colder temps might spark a nice bluefish, pompano and Spanish mackerel bite. Look for these fish in the main channels in the bay where the water is deeper. Trolling shiny artificial lures is a great way to locate these fish. Once located you can catch them on live shrimp and pilchards. Sea trout normally respond well even when the waters are cold. You may find the fish less active early in the morning. Very easy to catch after the sun has been up for a while. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float is deadly on the sea trout. Look for the trout up on the shallow flats in the bay. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:01.
South Bay
Bonefishing in South Bay was very good before the cold weather set in. It usually takes a couple of days for the fish to move back up on the flats after any significant temperature drop. The finger Channels can be very good during and after a cold front. Live shrimp or pilchards fished free-lined or on the bottom when the tide is moving often gets action from snappers, groupers, porgies, jack crevalles, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and barracudas. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:31 in the morning.
Flamingo
North and northeast winds will allow you to fish the mainland shorelines without the wind hampering your day. Cooler water temperatures will push the snook, redfish, sheepshead, black drum and sea trout into the channels and along the shorelines that have some depth. A live shrimp fished on the bottom or a shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float is the way to go for these fish. Expect the fish to be slow to eat and the bites to be light. If the winds allow, you can head out to the Spanish mackerel grounds. Anchor in 10 feet of water south and west of Sandy Key. Put a block of chum in the water and fish a live shrimp on a jig head or under a float and once the fish catch the scent of the chum the action should be red hot. Besides the mackerel, pompano, tripletail, cobia, bluefish, sea trout, lane and mangrove snappers, bluerunners, jack crevalles, ladyfish, and sharks will all be on the menu. The inside waters of Shark River, Oyster Bay, and Whitewater Bay will provide action from snook, redfish, sea trout, mangrove snappers and goliath grouper. Hit the island points that have a decent tidal flow for the most action. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:38 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 7:05 AM
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Nov. 15-17 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 10 to 15 knots late Friday. Saturday and Sunday winds are forecasted to be northeast at 15 to 20 knots. There is a full moon Friday night.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon, snook and jack crevalles have been biting in the ocean inlets. The best bite is on the last two hours of the outgoing tides. The fish are eating live shrimp, mullets, pilchards and the NLBN line of baits. The ocean piers have had decent action from Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jack crevalles, snook and a few pompano. Live shrimp and pilchards have been the best natural baits on the pier. Artificial lures that resemble shrimp and pilchards have been catching a lot of these fish. Spanish mackerel are being caught in depths between 40 to 80 feet of water. Anchoring and chumming with live pilchards in these depths has been a good way to get these fish behind the boat. Just outside the outer reef to 300 feet of water, kingfish, bonitos, dolphin fish, sailfish and a few wahoos were being caught. Trolling Sea Witches tipped with a bonito belly strip has been effective on the fish. Blackfin tunas have been biting over the deeper wrecks and rock piles in depths between 400 to 500 feet of water. Live bait chumming on the cloudy days has brought these fish to the surface where they can be caught on free line live baits and with small artificial baits and vertical jigs. Daytime bottom fishing has been good for large mutton snappers and amberjacks. The muttons are eating large strips of bonito, live pilchards and ballyhoo. The amberjacks have been going for vertical jigs and live pinfish. Nighttime reef fishing has been good for an assortment of snappers, grunts, bluefish, toros and kingfish. Cut bait and whole ballyhoos are getting the strikes. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:52.
North Biscayne Bay
After weeks of high winds the waters of North Bay have finally started settle down. Sea trout are more scattered now than they had been before. Look for the trout, mangrove snappers, jacks, barracudas and ladyfish higher up on the flats. Casting the NLBNs with a slow steady retrieve is getting a lot of these fish. Snook, tarpon and jack crevalles are being caught in Maule Lake, Dumfoundling Bay, and way up in the Intra Coastal Waterway. Live pilchards cast to the sea walls and next to the bridge pilling has worked good on these fish. The nighttime tarpon bite has been good along the shadow lines of the bay bridges. Large live shrimp free-lined on the outgoing tide is getting the tarpons. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:49.
South Bay
The Ginger Channels have been producing a decent amount of snappers and yellowjacks. Anchoring and chumming with live pilchards helps you locate where the fish are. Bonefishing has been good along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. Large live shrimp is what I use for these fish. The mainland shorelines are producing decent catches of snook, small tarpons, jack crevalles and barracudas. Look for these fish around the baitfish schools. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:06 in the morning.
Flamingo
High winds continue to plague the Florida Bay waters and fishermen. Floating grass and muddy waters is what most outside fishermen found once they hit the water. The best action in Florida Bay was happening on the lee side of the islands that had green waters. Here snook, tarpons, sea trout and redfish were being caught. Live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float and jig heads tipped with a shrimp produced the most action. The backcountry of Oyster and Whitewater Bays had some of the best action in Flamingo. Snook, snappers, Goliath groupers, sea trout, redfish, ladyfish and jack crevalles were being caught along most of the island in these bays. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 11 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 8 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Nov. 7-11 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
Another week of very windy conditions and another windy forecast for this weekend. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots late Friday before turning more east northeast at 20 to 25 knots and gusts to 30 knots Saturday through Sunday. Late Sunday, finally winds may start calming.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The offshore waters up and down the coast have been rough and dirty all week. Few fishermen braved the high seas so fishing reports were few. If you head offshore this weekend, expect dolphin fish to be feeding along the blue water edge. Kingfish, Spanish mackerel, bonitos, blackfin tunas are all possibles but probably will be finicky. Fly a kite and fish some live baits under that kite and I’m sure there will be a sailfish or two looking to eat one of your baits. Expect all of the action to be happening in depths from 80 feet of water out to the blue water edge that may be in 200 to 300 feet of water. Pier fishermen can expect action from bluefish, pompano, snook, a few Spanish mackerel, catfish, and small sharks. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:20.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters are so choppy and dirty from all of the windy weather we have had. The cleanest waters are on the east side of the bay and in the Intra Coastal waterways north into Dumfoundling Bay. Sea trout, small jacks, ladyfish and small barracudas can be targeted on the east side of the bay, The NLBN 3” jig heads and 3” soft plastics have worked very well on these fish. Up in Dumfoundling Bay look for jack crevalles, snook, small tarpons and barracudas. Cast the NLBN’s at the shorelines will provide you with action. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:29.
South Bay
South Bay has little protection from the wind and rough waters. If you can get to the Finger Channels expect dirty water and fish that will be slow to take a bait. If you can get to the backside of the ocean islands you might find a few bonefish, small tarpons, barracudas, and sharks to target. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:59 in the morning.
Flamingo
The outside waters of Florida Bay will be rough, muddy and tough to fish. If you can find some green water outside that is where the fish will be. Your best bet is to fish the inside waters of Shark River, Oyster Bay, and Whitewater Bay. With so many islands and shorelines to toss artificial lures, you should have no problem catching snook, redfish, sea trout, snappers, jacks, ladyfish, and Goliath groupers. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:01 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 5:49 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 31-Nov. 3 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 20 to 25 knots late Friday through Saturday. Late Saturday and Sunday the winds will be east at 20 to 25 knots. Expect offshore seas to be rough. We will be under the effects of a new moon this weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
If the big winds ever die down, the fish are hungry and in good numbers offshore. Up and down the coast fishermen were and still are when they can get out catching good numbers of kingfish and Spanish mackerel with a few nice cero mackerel mixed in. The action is taking place between 80 to 140 feet of water. Live pilchards are working best on these fish but fresh ballyhoo and Spanish sardines are getting bit as well. Anywhere signs of baitfish in the area shows up, that is where you will find the fish. Mixed in with the kings have been bonitos, sailfish, and wahoo. Blackfin tunas have been biting plastic squids and small spoons trolled way back behind the boat. Look for the tunas in depths between 300 to 600 feet of water. Dolphin fish have been caught in areas where schools of ballyhoos can be seen showering on the surface. In the Gulf Streams waters that have been closer to shore due to the high winds, dolphin fish have been found under floating debris. Bottom fishing has been off because of the rough seas. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:18.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters have been fairly green despite the high winds. Over the grass flats there has been a great bite from sea trout, jacks, bluerunners, barracudas, bluefish, mackerel and pompano. The NLBN baits have been killing these fish. Snook and small tarpons are being caught in the ocean inlets when fishable and up Dumfoundling Bay. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11:05.
South Bay
Rough waters have made just reaching South Bay a challenge. If you can make it out there then you should find Spanish mackerel, bluefish and maybe a pompano or two holding behind the channel markers. In the channels expect some snappers, jacks and small groupers. The flats might have some bonefish to catch if you can see them. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:22 in the morning.
Flamingo
If you get lucky and there is a northeast wind, the outside shorelines might provide some calmer waters and good fishing for snook, sea trout, and redfish. When the waters calm down Spanish mackerel will be waiting for you south and west of Sandy Key. The backcountry waters of Whitewater and Oyster Key have provided fishermen with the most protected waters in Flamingo to fish. The island shorelines have had plenty of small to medium size snook, redfish, and sea trout to target. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 12:17 PM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 9:18 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 25-27 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 15 to 20 knots throughout the weekend. That’s a lot better than last weekends forecast of winds over 30.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Calmer conditions set in late in the week and finally allowed offshore fishermen to get back out on the water. Pier fishermen might see good action from Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jack crevalles and pompano. Flashy lures are good for the blues, macs and jacks and sand fleas and goofy jigs are good for the pompano. The offshore waters were pretty murky inside the reef, but once you got offshore a bluewater edge was waiting for you. Along this edge dolphin fish to 20 pounds were looking for something to eat. These dolphins were traveling as loners or in pairs. Before the stormy weather hit this past week, kingfish, bonitos, small blackfin tunas, barracudas, and sailfish were being caught in good numbers. This action was taking place in depths between 300 feet of water into the reef. Over the artificial wrecks and rock piles inside of 200 feet of water, look for mutton snappers, yellowtail snappers, and large red groupers to be looking for a live baitfish or a fresh ballyhoo plug. Nighttime reef fishing should produce some decent yellowtail and mutton snapper fishing. The reefs outside of 40 feet of water would be the best reefs to try. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:28.
North Biscayne Bay
The waters of North Bay continue to be stirred up. I fished the bay on Tuesday and struggled to catch a few barracudas, lots of small jack crevalles, and only one sea trout. Baitfish schools were scattered and small jacks were chasing some of the baitfish schools. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:01.
South Bay
Calmer conditions could lead to better bonefishing. Normally the Oceanside flats south of Soldier’s Key would be the better flats to target the bones but you might see more in the backside of the island flats that have cleaner water. The Ginger Channel’s will provide some rod bending action from hungry jack crevalles, yellow jacks, barracudas, and small snappers. Live pilchards and shrimp are the best baits for these fish. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:18 in the morning.
Flamingo
The waters of Florida Bay will most likely be muddy and have a lot of floating grass on the surface and dead grass on the bottom. For the best fishing turn your attention to the backcountry where snook, redfish, and sea trout continue to provide decent action in somewhat sheltered waters. Hit the island points that have a decent tidal flow or the shorelines that are holding baitfish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:45 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 10:01 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 18-20 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the NE at 15 to occasionally 30 knots late Friday through Sunday. Expect seas offshore to be very rough and at times dangerous.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
If the forecast holds, fishing offshore will be for the fishermen who have large ocean-going vessels. Even on these boats you can expect to be tossed around a lot. Kingfish, Spanish mackerel, bonitos, dolphin fish and a few sailfish were being caught on live baits and fresh ballyhoo and Spanish sardines before the big winds hit. The best action was taking place along a dark blue edge that had been moving in and out with the outgoing tides. One day that edge was up close to the outer reef and the next it was in 300 feet of water. The kingfish and Spanish mackerel were being caught around the sewer outfalls. Bottom fishing along the reef and over rocky bottoms in depths from 60 to 120 feet of water was producing small mutton snappers, legal size red groupers and yellowtail snappers. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:03.
North Biscayne Bay
The inshore waters of North Bay and the waters in Maule Lake and Dumfoundling Bay will have some of the most protected waters from the winds. Expect some action from mangrove snappers, jack crevalles, ladyfish, snook, tarpons and barracudas. Hit the seawall and mangrove shorelines with NLBN 3 inch soft plastics or live finger mullet and pilchards. If you’re able to acquire a bunch of live pilchards by throwing a cast net or buying them from Lester’s Live Baits, chum the areas your fishing to help you locate where the fish are holding. The grass flats on the east side of the bay have been providing action from sea trout, ladyfish, mangrove snappers and jack crevalles. Casting soft plastics and jig heads continues to produce a lot of the fish but a live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float is also getting the fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:40.
South Bay
South Bay will be tough to fish this weekend with the high winds and choppy conditions. The Finger Channels will provide some action from small mutton snappers, jacks, grunts, bonnethead sharks, and bluerunners. Expect the waters to be murky and the fish to be slow at biting your hooks. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 11:13 in the morning.
Flamingo
The waters of Florida Bay had but a few days to clear up after Hurricane Milton. Large snook and redfish were being caught along the shorelines near Cape Sable. Now a cold front has left us with winds that will muddy up the waters and make almost all of Florida Bay tough to fish. The backcountry waters will be somewhat protected and will provide action from ladyfish, jack crevalles, mangrove snappers, Goliath groupers, lots of catfish, a few snook, redfish and small tarpons. The best spots will be the points of the islands that have some water movement. Casting live shrimp and soft plastics in these areas will keep you in the action. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 4:21 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:02 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 11-13 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 20 to 25 knots late Friday. On Saturday winds will come down to 15 knots out of the east. Sunday expect winds to be 10 knots out of the east. Even though winds will be dying down from what they were mid week, expect the offshore waters to be milky, have weird currents and finicky fish waiting for the waters to settle. The inshore waters will be loaded with freshwater that was pumped through the salinity dams into the bay.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Before Hurricane Milton interrupted our lives, lots of baitfish had moved into our area. A lot of the baitfish schools have headed south but more will move into our area from the north. Before the weather got bad, snook and tarpons of all sizes were biting along the beaches and in the ocean inlets. Big jack crevalles and the first bluefish and Spanish mackerel of the season were being caught from the beaches out to 40 feet of water. Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, bonitos, a few sailfish and wahoo were being caught where ballyhoo schools were present. Dolphin fish were caught as shallow as 40 feet of water when chasing schools of ballyhoo. Blackfin tuna were being caught over deep artificial reefs and over rock piles in depths between 360 feet of water out past 500 feet of water. Dolphin fish were scattered offshore. With little floating debris offshore it was hard to locate the fish unless a piece of magical debris was spotted. Dolphins were also found under frigate birds. The best depth for the dolphins was between 800 to over 1,000 feet of water. Often after a big storm moves through our area this time of year, big schools of small mutton snappers and red groupers swarm the offshore reefs. It’s not uncommon to see these fish all the way into the surf. This action normally happens three or four days after the blow. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:51.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters will be loaded with freshwater due to the storm. The best fishing should be near the ocean inlets or on the east side of the bay. Find the baitfish schools and the sea trout, mangrove snappers, jacks, mackerel, ladyfish, and barracudas should be right on their tails. Look for tarpon in the canals throughout the bay. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:21.
South Bay
Hopefully by Sunday the flats of South Bay will have cleared enough to allow for some sight casting bonefish and permit action. A late morning low tide will mean that bonefish will be feeding in two feet of water or less. As the ocean waters flood the flats expect the bonefish to start tailing along the island shorelines. The Finger Channels might be loaded with small mutton and mangrove snappers plus small groupers. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 11:33 in the morning.
Flamingo
I wouldn’t expect the outside waters of Florida Bay to be that fishable till next week. Better check with the Park to see if the road into Flamingo is open. If it is, the backcountry waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays might be the best option. There might be a lot of freshwater in these areas, but tarpon, ladyfish, redfish, and mangrove snappers don’t mind brackish waters that are more fresh than salt. The closer you get to the Gulf the saltier the water will be. If the fishing g is slow inside then work your way to the coast. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:29 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 9:06 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 4-6 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east to southeast at 10 to 15 knots late Friday and into early Saturday before increasing to 15 knots and gusting to 20 knots late Saturday through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Schools of silver mullets and finger mullets are migrating along our Oceanside coasts. Tarpons of all sizes, snook, big jack crevalles, large barracudas, and sharks are feasting on these mullets. To get into this action you need to be there when the mullet schools pass by. It’s almost like there is day or two in between each group of migrating mullets, meaning if your timing isn’t right you won’t see any mullet schools or action. To get a strike from these predators you will need to separate your bait from the thousands of other mullets. Take a live mullet and fish or on the bottom or cut its tail fins so that it struggles to swim. This will help the predators find your bait. Lots of one to three-pound Spanish mackerel are feeding on ballyhoo schools outside the outer reef. If you see ballyhoo then you will have located the mackerel. The mackerel can be caught with shiny artificial lures, NLBN artificials, live ballyhoo, and live pilchards. A few kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tuna, and sailfish have been caught outside the outer reef but not in numbers. Dolphin fishermen will have to get lucky to catch a few. Trolling rigged ballyhoos and artificial lures from 600 to 1,000 feet of water is your best bet at catching a few fish. Floating debris and weedlines were hard to find. Look for frigate birds dropping to the surface to help you locate a school of feeding dolphins. There has been reports of large dolphins chasing schools of ballyhoos in depths as shallow as 40 feet of water. Daytime bottom fishing continues to be good. Small mutton snappers, yellowtail snappers, and large red groupers are biting over hard bottom in depths from 90 feet of water out to 130 feet of water. Nighttime reef fishing continues to be good for yellowtail, mutton, and mangrove snappers, plus bluerunners and grunts. Target the greens in 40 to 100 feet of water for these fish. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:24.
North Biscayne Bay
Find the baitfish schools and the sea trout, mangrove snappers, ladyfish, jack crevalles, and small barracudas will be there. Casting the BLBN jig heads and soft plastics will keep you in the action. Nighttime snook and tarpon action continues to be good along bridge shadow lines, dock lights, and in the ocean inlets. Live mullets, shrimp, and pinfish are getting the strikes. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:54.
South Bay
An early morning incoming tide will bring cool ocean waters to the flats of South Bay and the bonefish will be tailing high up on the flats. Hit the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. The flats around Totten Key, Cutter Bank, and the Arsenicker flats will have enough bonefish tailing or mudding. Hit the Finger Channel’s for nonstop rod-bending action from snappers, jacks, bluerunners, and barracudas. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:24 in the morning.
Flamingo
The waters of Florida Bay have been slow clearing up since last week’s storm. Snook, redfish, and tarpons were being caught in areas that had clean water. Snook, redfish, tarpons, sea trout, and snappers were being caught along the shorelines from the Sable creeks north to Lostmans River. The islands in Oyster and Whitewater Bays have been providing spotty action from small snook, redfish, sea trout, Goliath groupers, and snappers. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 4:45 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:14 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 27-29 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
Now that Hurricane Helene has moved far enough away from South Florida, winds will slowly come down, our waters will clear, and the Fall Migration will have kicked in. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south at 15 to 20 knots late Friday, then south at 10 to 15 knots early Saturday before diminishing to 5 to 10 knots late Saturday and Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean
Fishing for snook, large jack crevalles, barracudas, sharks and medium-size tarpons was very good before the storm moved in. Schools of finger mullets have arrived in South Florida along with big schools of small baitfishes. By Saturday I would expect this fishing to return in a big way. The offshore bite was spotty before the weather went south but by Saturday look for kingfish, Spanish mackerel, bonitos, blackfin tuna, sailfish, wahoo and dolphin fish to be in decent numbers and hungry. This is the time of the year when these fish start feeding on ballyhoo and small flying fish schools and often turning their noses up in everything else. Look for raining schools of ballyhoos and flyers to help you locate the fish. Day and nighttime bottom fishing was pretty good for yellowtail snappers and the fishing should return with small-to medium-size mutton snappers being a big part of the bottom catch. Remember mutton snappers must measure 18 inches total length but 19 inches in Biscayne National Park. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:50.
North Biscayne Bay
Schools of baitfish continue to attract a lot of attention from mangrove snappers, jacks, blue runners, barracudas, sea trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Find the birds diving on the baitfish schools and that’s where the fish will be. The NLBN artificials, live baitfish, and flashy and noisy artificials will get you the strikes. On Tuesday we kept 10 mangrove snappers to 16 inches, plus a few yellowjacks and released another 15 legal-size snappers and over a half dozen snook to 35 inches. We fished from Government Cut to Dumfoundling Bay. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:29.
South Bay
Once the weather calms and the waters clear, fishing should not only return to what it was but much better. Expect lots of small mutton snappers, mangrove snappers and yellowjacks to be looking for something to eat in the Finger Channels of South Bay. Live pilchards and shrimp fished free-lined or with a small weight should keep you in the action. Bonefish and permits will slowly return to the shallow flats of South Bay as the waters calm down and clear up. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:46 in the morning.
Flamingo
By Saturday winds will have come down to a fishable level but the waters will be muddy and full of floating grass. This will complicate fishing in Florida Bay and all the way up the coast. Expect lots of catfish to be looking for something to eat. If you can find some clean waters in Florida Bay, then that is where your best chances of catching some quality fish will be. Fishing the backcountry of Whitewater and Oyster Bays plus the rivers and creeks leading out to the Gulf of Mexico could be your best bet at making a catch. Before Helene arrived fishermen were having good success on sea trout, snook, redfish, Goliath groupers. and small tarpons in the backcountry. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:06 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:41 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 20-22 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots throughout this weekend. The Fall migration is underway and a host of small baitfish are in our area with plenty of fish feeding on them.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Look for snook and tarpons to be hungry on the late night and early morning outgoing tides. The snook have been eating the NLBN baits fished near the bridge pilings, along the jetty rocks, the drop off in the channels and along the Oceanside beaches. The offshore bite continues to be spotty for kingfish, bonitos, sailfish, blackfin tuna and barracudas. Plenty of these fish are being caught in depths between 90 to 240 feet of water but not in big numbers yet. The first Spanish mackerel are showing up in our area and some decent size cero mackerels are mixed in with them. Plenty of yellowtail snappers are being caught both day and night over the natural reefs when the current is manageable. Anchoring and chumming seems to be the best way to get the fish to the boat. A few nice mangrove and mutton snappers plus jacks and grunts have joined in on the bite. Dolphin fishing continues to be challenging. The schools of small ballyhoos and flying fish are just starting to show up and that is what these fish are looking to eat. Keep your eyes open for baitfish showering on the surface. Often dolphin fish will be the fish chasing them. Match the hatch if you want to catch these fish. Way offshore in 800 to 900 feet of water, black belly rose fish are being caught on the bottom with cut squid and bonito. The High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:14.
Find the baitfish schools that are near a grass flat or on the grass flats and chances are great you will be catching mangrove snappers, sea trout, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks and barracudas. You might even hook up to some medium size tarpons, snook and bull sharks. The NLBN 3-inch jig head and a 3-inch paddle tail soft plastic has been deadly on these fish. Just cast it and retrieve it with no wrist action and it won’t be long before your fishing rod is bending. Nighttime snook, tarpon, snapper and jack crevalles have been stacked up on some of the dock lights and bridge pilings in the bay. The best spots have been the ones that have a good tidal flow. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:55.
Schools of baitfish have been sliding south along the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne. Snappers, jacks, barracudas and sharks have been feeding on the baitfish. Bonefishing has been good on the Oceanside flats. The fish have been most active on the incoming tides. Spotting tailing fish has been easy with the flat calm mornings that we have had. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:25 in the morning.
Big snook and redfish have been biting along the shorelines of Florida Bay. Big high tides have made it easy to get close to many shorelines that were normally out of reach of most anglers. The NLBN artificials and chunks of ladyfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float have worked well on these fish. If you’re looking for sea trout and mangrove snappers, then head south of Sandy Key and fish the channels in between the shallow flats with artificials and chunks of pinfish under a Cajun Thunder float. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have had lots of freshwater and big high tides. These tides have allowed the fish to get way under the mangrove shorelines and making them hard to target. If you can find some pilchards then chum with them and if you hit the right spot, snook, redfish, small tarpons, ladyfish, mangrove snappers and Goliath groupers will start popping these baitfish making them easier to target. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:36 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 4:41 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
